Christians Become a Primary Target for ISIS; 21 Beheaded

The Islamic State released a gruesome video yesterday of militants executing 21 prisoners along the beaches of the Mediterranean Sea in northern Libya, reported Addicting Info.

The 21 men who were executed were members of the Egyptian Coptic Church. The Islamic State released the video under the title of “A Message Signed With Blood to the Nation of the Cross.” The video has since been removed from YouTube for violating its terms of service, thankfully, but it’s safe to assume the video’s brutality.

A spokesperson for the Egyptian Coptic Church has verified the authenticity of the video, and according to global security firm Flashpoint:

This undeniably means that the group now views Christian populations as not only targets but also part of the bigger ‘Crusader plot,’ not separate from the US-led coalition or aggressors. The group’s message is highly intimidating and it somewhat challenges the Western nations to intervene and save the Christians as it intervened to save the Yazidis and others.

The Islamic State’s execution videos are produced and aimed specifically for the western audience. They are a fear tactic with the main purpose of dehumanizing and robbing the victims of any dignity.